Suracke
The Suracke originate from the planet Skiel in the Tersells system.They are often considered one of the least intelligent races in known space by the other species, but this is a misconception that arises from their slower metabolisms and response times. They are widely known for their craftsmanship, particularly in the area of architecture which is widely imitated. Their centralized government's formal title is the "Suracke Confederation". Biology Despite the belief that the suracke are less intelligent than the other races, the suracke have an average intelligence on par with most sapient species. This belief emerged because the suracke tend to speak and react slower than the other races due to their conservative metabolisms. Their metabolic rate comes from the reptile like creatures (specifically reptilesthat have similarities to cephalopods and mollusks) that the suracke evolved from, and consequently allows them to survive on very little food and water. However, despite the visual and metabolic similarities the suracke share with reptiles, they are warm blooded and give birth to live young. Nutrition Even though Skiel is covered mostly in water, the planet's high atmospheric pressure limits the amount of rain that falls inland. The suracke evolved in these harsh and water starved areas, and adapted to living in these places via several unique adaptations. One such adaptation has made the suracke physically dependent on salt, especially those with a high calcium content. Because their home planet has no fresh water, the suracke and most life on Skiel have developed a physiological dependence on salt that far exceeds the requirements of any other race. Members of the species are always seen mixing substantial amounts of salt into anything that they consume, and if deprived of salt the suracke can suffer from a variety of health issues. At the first signs of desalinization, the skin begins to crack and the suracke may complain of headaches or fever, and in cases of extreme salt deprivation they will suffer from osteoporosis, loss of higher order neurological functions, and eventually death. Physical Charateristics An average suracke stands at just over two meters tall and weighs a little over 100 kilograms. They are sexually dimorphous with the females being on average 15% larger than the males. Their epidermis is composed of stiff interlocking plates with a softer and more flexible dermis bellow. Consequently this limits their ability to make facial gestures, so to make up for this, suracke have regions of chromatophores around their eyes and along the center of the faces. These areas change color depending on how the suracke feels, however they also have some conscious control of the response even allowing some to create complex patterns and displays. Along the top and back of their heads, the suracke have fine feather-like outgrowths that range in pigmentation from dark red or orange, or various shades of yellow. History Origin The suracke originated in the southern tip of Skiel's largest continent, Jorkatt. The region was, and still is, dry and arid, but as far back as 12,000 B.R. there was evidence of agrarian societies and small villages. At the time, the suracke used tools based entirely on stone and Hortaq, and had domesticated several native species, some of which where used as working animals. The harshness and volatility of the land encouraged a nomadic lifestyle and most of the early suracke villages were constructed with easy disassembly and transport in mind. Civilization The first permanent settlements didn't arise until the suracke moved farther north into Jorkatt's more temperate regions. By 8000 B.R. the suracke had covered the entire continent, and had started to explore the adjoining land masses. It was during this time that some of the oldest city states that make up the confederacy were established, and at the same time the suracke started to develop the architecture which they would later become so famous for. Most of these groups in the north had also taken advantage of the abundant copper deposits in the area and moved on to copper tools and metal working. Despite this transition, many of the suracke buildings were still constructed using older tools and methods out of reverence for the trade. By about 4000 B.R., almost all of the suracke had transitioned to various grades of iron and steel. Pre-Modern Era By 2000 B.R. the suracke had established themselves on every major land mass on Skiel. Many of the city states on Jorkatt had exhausted much of their local resources and stated to colonize these other areas in search for new materials. Commonly, proxy wars would be fought between states in these colonial areas and at home they would encourage trade embargoes against enemy states amongst their allies. This carried on for several centuries and it wasn't until 1428 B.R. that a temporary cessation of these hostilities was brought forth by the creation of the Suracke Confederacy. Interspecific Relations Surackian architecture is renowned throughout known space. Many other sapient species hire suracke to work on buildings, not only to produce attractive buildings but practical and safe. Many suracke live off world and are one of the most populous race in the galaxy, and can be found in every major starport. They are also one of the most sociable species, always willing to listen to people of other species. They have good diplomatic ties with most other species, in particular the enkirid. FTL Technology Main Article: FTL Technology In short, the suracke made no attempts to bypass the normal parameters of space-time nor relativity, instead working within the bounds of relativistic physics. Their method involves a calculation as to the distance, and the time that would be required for acceleration and travel, as well as deceleration. Category:Sapient Species